Carnival Drink Package Calculator
Carnival CHEERS uses a public default price, a 20% service charge, the all-adults-in-cabin rule, and a 15 alcoholic-drink daily cap. The calculator also keeps private destination restrictions visible.
Is the Cruise Drink Package Worth It?
Run the break-even math before you buy, then use CruiseKit Spend in the app to track covered value during the trip. The goal is to compare package cost against what you would already buy, not to push anyone to drink more.
Break-even before you buy
Track covered value onboard
No-pressure value language
Budgeting tool
Find the best drink package value for your cruise
Compare package cost, cabin rules, service charges, bundled fare value, or prepaid Bar Tab credit against what you would already plan to buy onboard.
CHEERS!
Carnival Cruise Line - Last verified 2026-06-22
- Type
- Standard package
- Price display
- $69.95 / person / day
- Drink cap
- $20.00 cap
- Daily limit
- 15 alcoholic/day
Recommended check. A public default is loaded, but your actual booking price may be different.
Set trip details
This package may require all adults in the cabin to buy. The calculator is using 2 required buyers.
Estimate planned daily onboard purchases
Enter what your cabin would probably buy on an average day, combined. This is a budgeting estimate for purchases you already plan to make.
Cocktails / mixed drinks
Typical range: $10.00-$14.00
Beer
Typical range: $6.50-$8.00
Wine by the glass
Typical range: $9.00-$12.00
Specialty coffee
Typical range: $4.00-$6.00
Soda
Typical range: $2.75-$3.50
Bottled water
Typical range: $2.00-$5.00
Mocktails / smoothies / juice
Typical range: $6.00-$8.50
Advanced assumptions
Use advanced fields only when your booking portal or cruise documents show a different assumption. Port taxes, embarkation restrictions, and private-destination rules can still vary.
How This Calculator Works
The calculator compares the package cost against the estimated pay-as-you-go value of drinks and non-alcoholic beverages you would probably buy anyway. For standard drink packages, the key number is the daily break-even value after service charges and required buyers.
Dynamic-price packages, including Royal Caribbean Deluxe, MSC Premium Extra, and Celebrity Classic or Premium, require your actual cruise planner or booking portal price before the estimate is useful.
Bundles such as NCL Free at Sea, Princess Plus, Princess Premier, Celebrity All Included, and Holland America Have It All are not pure beverage products. Use drinks-only mode for a beverage comparison, or count the Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, dining, excursion credit, and other perks you would otherwise buy.
Virgin Voyages Bar Tab is prepaid credit, so it uses credit math instead of unlimited-package break-even language. The result compares available credit with expected total spend and notes that unused credit may be forfeited.
During your cruise, CruiseKit Spend can track covered drink value separately from trip spend. That keeps the package decision practical: you can see whether prepaid value is paying off without treating break-even as a drinking target.
Cruise Line Drink Package Sections
Use the same calculator for cruise beverage package calculator math across major lines, while keeping each line's limits, warnings, and package classifications separate.
Royal Caribbean Drink Package Calculator
Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package prices vary by sailing, so use the exact Cruise Planner price. The calculator applies buyer rules and compares the result with your planned onboard purchases.
NCL Free at Sea Drink Value
NCL Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus are modeled as bundle packages, not simple standalone drink packages. You can compare drinks only or count Wi-Fi, dining, shore excursion credit, and other perks.
Princess Plus and Premier Drink Value
Princess beverage-only packages use standard package math, while Princess Plus and Princess Premier use bundle logic so crew appreciation, Wi-Fi, dining, photos, and other perks can be included or excluded.
MSC Premium Extra Drink Package
MSC Premium Extra requires the price from MyMSC before showing a result. The calculator keeps the all-guests-in-cabin rule and 15 alcoholic-drinks-per-day cap visible.
Celebrity Classic vs Premium Drink Package
Celebrity Classic and Premium require user-entered pricing and preserve the 20% gratuity assumption where applicable. Celebrity All Included is treated as a bundled fare.
Holland America Signature, Elite, and Have It All
Holland America Signature and Elite use standard package math, while Have It All uses bundle logic. Signature notes that the 15-drink cap includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Virgin Voyages Bar Tab Calculator
Virgin Bar Tab is modeled as prepaid credit. The result compares available credit against expected spend and warns that unused credit may be forfeited.
Cruise Drink Package FAQ
Is a cruise drink package worth it?
A cruise drink package is worth it only when the package cost plus service charge is less than the value of drinks and non-alcoholic items you would already buy. Port days, cabin rules, buyer requirements, package caps, and bundled perks can change the answer. CruiseKit treats this as value tracking, not a reason to drink more.
What is the best cruise drink package calculator?
The best calculator for your cruise is one that uses your actual sailing price, applies cruise-line-specific rules, and lets you compare package cost against what you already plan to buy onboard.
How many drinks do you need to break even on a cruise drink package?
The break-even point depends on the package price, service charge, required buyers, cruise length, and the menu value of drinks or non-alcoholic items you would already buy. Many packages land near 5 to 8 paid drinks per day for one buyer, but cabin rules, port days, and included specialty coffees, water, soda, or mocktails can change the result.
Is Carnival CHEERS worth it?
Carnival CHEERS can be worth it when the cabin's planned daily beverage value beats the package price plus 20% service charge. The all-adults-in-cabin rule, 15 alcoholic-drink daily cap, and private destination restrictions are important parts of the math.
Is Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package worth it?
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic package pricing, so the calculator asks for the exact Cruise Planner price. Once you enter that price, compare it against your planned daily onboard purchases and the all-adults-in-cabin rule.
Is NCL Free at Sea worth it for drinks?
NCL Free at Sea is a bundle, not a clean standalone drink package. Use a drinks-only view if you want beverage math, or include Wi-Fi, dining, excursion credit, and other perks when those are items you would otherwise buy.
Is Princess Plus worth it?
Princess Plus can be worth it when drinks, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, dining, and other included perks beat the daily bundle price for the guests covered by the package. For a drinks-only answer, set non-drink perk values to zero.
Is Virgin Voyages Bar Tab a drink package?
No. Virgin Voyages Bar Tab is prepaid drink credit. The calculator compares available credit against expected total spend and avoids unlimited package or break-even drink language.
Why do some cruise lines require me to enter the package price?
Some cruise lines change beverage package prices by ship, date, itinerary, booking portal, offer, or fare selection. Entering the price from your cruise planner gives a more useful estimate than hardcoding a generic number.
Can I use CruiseKit after I already bought the drink package?
Yes. Use the calculator before the cruise, then use CruiseKit Spend in the mobile app to track covered drink value separately from regular trip spend. The app can show whether the package value is paying off without turning break-even into a drinking goal.